I always do mine low and slow (225-250) while waiting for something else to cook. I do them for 2-2.5 hours. They look done after an hour but need more time for the bacon to not be chewy. I usually mix some brown sugar and minced onion in with the cream cheese. I see you have italian sausage, which will work just fine...I usually use cheddar lil smokies. I don't use any seasoning at all other than the brown sugar in the cream cheese. The bacon juice, heat from the jalapeno, the cream cheese and the brown sugar combine to form an awesome flavor. I know that most people do hit them with a rub or sauce them at the end which I am sure if just fine. Mine tend to come out fairly mild as far as heat unless you leave some seeds and ribs in the jalapenos. Also, I usually use the cheapest bacon I can get my hands on which is usally thin cut. The sky is really the limit on these things though. I think most people cook them hotter and faster than I do, but they were originally invented as something to throw on the smoker for a snack while waiting on a long cook, so I stick with that method. I usually add them on my second grate above ribs or a shoulder....the bacon dripping on the meat hunk below it couldn't be a bad thing!!!!